I made a visit to my local Rose Society back in June/July of 2022 and had a blast seeing all of the beautiful roses they had grown on display. I chose to become a member that day. Life happened and, well, a few months went by and I remembered that I had signed up. I reached out and asked if I could still stop by for a meeting as I hadn’t kept in touch. The responder was welcoming and asked that I introduce myself to her when I go. I did just that.
The meeting was pretty uneventful; the board was elected and we watched a rose movie. It was after the meeting when I began to talk to other members that I discovered the depth and breadth of knowledge within that room. These people were not only rose enthusiasts… They were as obsessed as I am with the breed. There was individuals there that put the collection of roses I have assembled to absolute shame. It was jaw-dropping to say the least. Further, the welcoming environment made me feel at home. As if I were talking to long-time friends that were just separated by distance. I truly hope that, if you enjoy roses, you will take the time to visit your local rose society.
All good things aside, I was saddened to hear that a number of rose societies in our geographic region, Pacific Northwest, had closed down due to lack of membership participation and funding. I hope I never see our local one face the same. I was deeply saddened to hear that, for three years, no one had opted to take on the President’s role within the board because it was a lot of work. Instead, the board members opted to spread the president’s tasks amongst themselves to ensure the work got done. It was inspiring to see how much these people care about the society. I hope I can one day be as resourceful as them.
CF